


Being Better

by NinjaGirlStar5



Category: Henry Stickmin Series (Video Games)
Genre: (it's a pretty short one and Rupert is there to comfort Dave), 3rd Limited POV, Can be interpreted as romantic but it's mostly set-up, Dave DEFINITELY has a crush on Rupert though, Dave isn't doing so well, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Kindof a Mental Breakdown?, No Beta, Past Gunshot Wound, Past Injuries, Post-Kidnapping, Post-Triple Threat Ending | TT (Henry Stickmin), Rupert is dealing with a lot of guilt and regrets, Rupert's POV, Some characters are mentioned but aren't tagged, Swearing, There's some hints of post-canon headcanon events, Triple Threat Ending | TT (Henry Stickmin)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-28
Updated: 2020-11-28
Packaged: 2021-03-09 19:53:40
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27751846
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/NinjaGirlStar5/pseuds/NinjaGirlStar5
Summary: After finally rescuing Dave, Rupert visits him at the hospital. He still carried many burdens, regrets and guilts since Dave had gotten fired but maybe, just maybe, he could do something right for him.
Relationships: Dave Panpa & Rupert Price
Comments: 10
Kudos: 47





	Being Better

**Author's Note:**

> Ngl, I had PanPrice brainrot while writing this. However! This is mostly just set-up before they start anything romantic, hence why I put their relationship up as "&" rather than "/". It's better if they start off rekindling their friendship before doing anything straight up romantic, especially since Dave was just recently taken out of a very traumatic experience. I want him to rebuild his life first before going down the rabbit hole of romantic relationships and I personally see Rupert taking his time getting to know Dave better before forming a crush on his friend (*coughs* Demisexual Rupert *coughs*).
> 
> For Sticktober Day 23 - Hurt/Comfort.

The bustle of the hospital greeted Rupert’s ears, doctors and nurses walking by with purpose and patients leaving their rooms, hopeful that they wouldn't have to return any time soon. There was a stale and stuffy smell in the air that made him uncomfortable and yet he stood before the door, tensing as he gripped the bouquet of flowers in his hand. It was an arrangement of sunflowers, chrysanthemums, and dahlias, a group of flowers Ellie had suggested to bring during his visit. He was suspicious to take her suggestion at first but he also didn’t want to go in empty handed. The soldier didn’t have any other appropriate gifts at hand and he wasn’t sure what to buy. He had considered buying a plushie but he wasn’t sure if his friend would either like it or be upset by it.

But then again, it was Dave Panpa he was visiting. Maybe he should’ve gone with his gut instinct and bought that bunny plushie he had passed by while window shopping the other day. But in the end, he had gone with Ellie’s suggestion and walked into the nearest flower shop. Dave probably didn’t know what the flowers actually meant but Rupert had to double check to be sure the redhead wasn’t going to pull some obscure prank on him. Going by the meanings, she didn't, which was... _nice_ of her but he still wouldn’t trust her as far as he could throw her.

Rupert gulps a little before turning the doorknob, slowly opening the door to let Dave know that he had a visitor. As he enters the room, Dave - who had been staring out the window in what Rupert could only assume as boredom - turns to look at him. There was a moment of tension visible on his face but it soon washed away when he recognized him. He was wearing a hospital gown and an IV drip was attached to his arm as he held onto his old and tattered security hat. There was an empty tray of hospital food on the table, with all of it thoroughly picked clean and a tissue box nearby.

The last time Rupert had seen him, it was when the Tunisian Diamond had been stolen and he was one of the police officers sent there to investigate. Dave’s hair was shorter back then and he had redyed the tips of his dark hair blonde, still looking as youthful as ever even if he did look panicked at the possibility of losing another job. And yet he still tried to be hopeful about the situation, awkward and yet confident that it’ll all work out. He was even happy to see Rupert, even if it was in the middle of a crime scene. He was still the same old Dave he knew back when they were partners.

But now it just hurt to look at him. It’s only been a year since they’ve last seen each other but Dave looked like he had seen some shit. There were dark circles underneath his eyes, his hair dye has long since faded away to his natural brown hair and was replaced with strands of gray. His hair had also grown out, reaching below his shoulder with bed hair that he hadn’t had the chance to comb yet. (He remembered when he first saw his hair upon getting rescued, tangled with split ends and dead ends.) Despite how relaxed he looked now, there was a palpable tension in his shoulders, looking as though he was waiting for something bad to happen. And yet, he still tried to smile at Rupert and hold onto hope that things will be better. There was still the sweet, clumsy Dave he knew back then but it was clear that he had changed.

(If only he knew Dave was on that damn airship during the operation. If only he had found him sooner. Then maybe he’d still be his usual self. Just maybe if he did _better-_ )

“Hey, Rupert.” Dave spoke up, his throat a little scratchy but trying to keep a casual tone. Rupert tried to give his friend the best smile he could manage before walking over to the empty vase.

“Hey. Is the doctor treating you well?” Rupert asked as he put the flowers into the vase. Dave moves to sit up and watches his friend move across the room. It was almost as if he was expecting him to do something, something that would put a wedge between them. It actually hurt, having Dave suspect _his own friend_ being capable of hurting him.

He had to remind himself that Dave is just being wary and he just got taken out of a terrible situation. He’s been through a lot, he just needs some time to heal.

“Yeah, they have.” Dave smiled a bit in response, scooting a little closer to the edge of the bed so he can be closer to Rupert. The soldier smiles a bit wider at that and pulls his chair over to the bed before sitting down. “Although they go in and out as they please and I’m not allowed to leave yet.”

“You got shot, Dave.” Rupert said in a matter of fact way. He can still remember the shock and red hot anger that went through him when he saw his friend go down like that. It was like anything that could go wrong in that rescue mission happened and they only lucked out with the Triple Threat trio’s quick thinking. Rupert didn’t want to think about it any longer than he had to. The thought of owing _Henry_ anything at all was still a bitter pill to swallow.

Dave winced at that, his hand gripping his side tightly, the place where he got shot. Rupert, realizing what he just said to a very traumatized victim, tried not to punch himself in the face for his lack of tact. “Sorry, I just…You gave me a fright back there. I thought you wouldn’t make it if Ellie didn’t do...whatever the hell that was.” Ellie had claimed that she simply used Force healing to, well, heal Dave’s wound but he’s still having a hard time believing that.

(He still remembers the horrified and angry screams of a little girl and blood soaking his hands as he desperately applied pressure, telling - _pleading_ with Dave to keep his eyes open. Just please hang on. They were so close to getting out, just _please_ -)

“Oh, Ellie was the one that healed me, right?” Dave asked, rubbing his side absentmindedly. Rupert blinked his eyes when he was reminded of where he was and nodded in affirmation. “She seems nice…” Pulling himself back together to focus on the conversation, he tried not to scoff and roll his eyes.

“You barely know her. She may have ulterior motives, Dave.” He warned, even though Ellie had literally saved his life back there. Even though she had expressed nothing but concern over Dave’s wound and helped Rupert bring him onto the helicopter as Henry covered for them. Even though she greeted him kindly and tried not to freak him out when he finally came to again.

But she was a criminal. A _pardoned_ criminal but a _criminal_ nonetheless. He may not have gotten a look at her record but anyone who ended up at _The Wall_ of all places has probably screwed over a lot of innocent people just to get what they want. If she was any way like Henry, she’d probably deserve it.

(…Except not every person that was brought in The Wall were actual criminals. But why would they do that? If the person was found innocent or didn’t do anything wrong, why would they still get locked up? Isn’t it supposed to be a place to keep the most dangerous people away from innocent civilians? It isn’t justifiable at all to lock someone up with little to no evidence. And as much as he had gripes with Henry _fucking_ Stickmin being around, he was still legally pardoned by the Government and hasn’t committed any crimes since, from what he could tell. And yet...)

“Really? Ellie seemed kinda cool when she visited me yesterday.” Dave raised an eyebrow at Rupert, who had to remind himself that he can’t get wrapped up in his thoughts now. Although it was his turn to raise his eyebrows in genuine surprise.

“She visited you? Yesterday?” Rupert won’t lie, he was genuinely curious as to why she would do that. Ellie didn’t know Dave aside from that brief moment of him bleeding out on the snow and their short trip back to base. They barely even talked to one another from what he saw, especially since he practically shadowed Dave until the medical personnel had wheeled him away to the hospital for an official check-up.

“Yeah.” Dave nodded as he spoke. “Ellie spent some time with me and we played cards as she told stories. I mostly just listened but she didn’t seem to mind. I think she enjoyed talking about her crazy heists.” Rupert groaned as he leaned against his chair and his friend playfully shakes his shoulder. “Hey, they were pretty funny stories, Rupert! Did you know that you can shoot a tank up in the air?!”

“I’d much rather deal with the Burkowski twins trying to pair me up with someone on base than listen to her stories. And where the hell would she even get the tank, let alone pull off a stunt like that!? During a _heist!_ What the hell was she stealing??” The logic behind that scenario was baffling him and Dave couldn’t help but laugh at the exasperated facial expression he was making.

“I know, right? She was kinda fun to hang out with. Charles is really nice, too. He snuck me some snacks the other day and talked about some of his missions until he had to leave.” As he spoke, Dave seemed to have begun relaxing which made Rupert internally sigh in relief. He’s glad to see Dave enjoying himself, even if he was stuck in the hospital at the moment. Dave then glanced at his security hat, clearly thinking about something as he rubbed his thumb against the fabric. “So...the military, huh?”

“Ah…Yeah.” Rupert affirmed, awkwardly rubbing his hands together. “I, uh, thought I could do more in the army than the police force.” He didn’t elaborate further than that, simply shrugging his shoulders in what he hoped was a chill manner.

(He didn’t mention what happened when the Tunisian Diamond got stolen, or the guilt that gnawed at his heart as he watched Dave move out his stuff only a week after joining the force. He didn’t mention how _helpless_ he felt upon looking at the victims that have either lost their lives or changed forever thanks to Henry’s selfishness. He didn’t mention how _useless_ he felt as Dave bled out on the snow, unable to do more for him, unable to _help_ -)

“What’s it like? In the military?” Dave tilts his head in curiosity and Rupert was happy to indulge in it, ignoring his dark thoughts that lingered in the back of his head. He described the ruthless training he had to go through, the people he met, and the missions he went on. He made sure not to mention Henry, even though Dave already knew he was working for the Government since he had helped rescue him. Mostly cause he just didn’t want to talk about him. He was also careful not to talk about the more... _gruesome_ parts of the missions as well, since Dave had enough trauma on his shoulders already. And his friend practically took to the stories like a fish to water, leaning in a little closer as he listened to every word he said, sometimes dropping his own little comments here or there. He even laughed a little when he talked about some of his coworkers' shenanigans (the Burkowski twins being the prime example) or let out small, horrified gasps as Rupert played up the drama a bit.

If he had to be honest, being in the military was...a lot more boring than he expected it to be, at least when the mission had nothing interesting going on. Which only made sense since he’s only been a part of the military for under a year, but he was already rising through the ranks pretty quickly. Rupert couldn’t help but feel a little proud of himself, even though he was going on more and more dangerous missions.

(And yet, rising through the ranks didn’t make him _better._ It didn’t make him _good enough_ when they got caught sneaking out, when the alarm went off, when the sound of a gunshot rang out, deafening as Dave somehow managed to push him out of range despite his weak strength and-)

“You’re amazing, Rupert.”

The compliment caught him so off guard that he nearly jumped out of his chair.

“I...thank you?” That was all Rupert could say, even if he couldn’t stop the questioning tone sinking into his voice. He didn’t really feel amazing, he didn’t feel like he _did_ much. He worked so damn hard and yet…

He still could’ve lost him.

Dave tilts his head at him before putting his hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze as he smiled at him. The younger man still felt weak.

“I mean it, Rupert. Really. You’re just…” Dave trails off, licking his dry lips as he tries to form his words. “You’re amazing. How you carry yourself, how you’re able to keep going, to do the right thing...You’re so strong and you can hold your head up high...” His face scrunches up a little, his face almost crestfallen as he looks away a little. “I mean, I can barely keep my own _life_ together-”

“Don’t say that.” Rupert cut him off, grabbing a hold of Dave’s hand. Dave jolts at the sudden contact and Rupert inhaled sharply, giving him an apologetic stare. But he didn’t want to hear his friend put himself down like that. He just...wasn’t sure where to start. “I know what happened to you...was _awful_ but you’re out now. And it was all out of your control, Dave. You didn’t ask for anything of this. And besides, once you’re out of the hospital, you can head home-”

“I probably don’t _have_ a home, Rupert!” Dave suddenly snapped, pulling his hand out of Rupert’s grip. His mouth goes slack jawed as he watches Dave stare down at his hat, gripping it tightly. “I...I’ve been gone for so long, I’m probably evicted from my apartment at this point. And my boss probably didn’t wait for me either so I don’t have a job or…or _anything!_ I just…” He trails off, putting his hand over his mouth in an attempt to stop himself from openly weeping. And yet, Rupert can see the tears threatening to fall from his eyes. “... _I’m s-suppose to be doing things on my own now. And yet, e-even when I-I do something right,_ nothing _turns out well a-and-”_ A sob escapes his lips and Rupert just...couldn’t help but feel shocked. He wasn’t expecting this, to witness his friend breaking down right before him. Was he bottling all of his pain up? Was he constantly thinking about everything that he’s gone through, even now? It wasn’t lost on Rupert that Dave was most definitely shaken up by everything he’s experienced and he didn’t really expect him to be the same afterwards. But...he looked like he was recovering well, up until this point.

(He should’ve noticed the signs. He should’ve known that Dave wasn’t going to be alright. He should’ve been more careful with his words and he shouldn’t have set him off like that-)

Rupert hears another sob and he realizes that he couldn’t think of anything to say, his own words failing him.

So he did what he thought was the next best thing and grabbed a hold of Dave, wrapping him into a gentle but tight hug.

Dave freezes at the contact and for a moment, Rupert wondered if he had overstepped his friend’s boundaries. If the hug was little too... _suffocating_ for him, too tight. But then Dave sniffled and he felt his hands grip his jacket uniform tightly, burying his face into his chest. Rupert slowly and gently rubbed one hand onto Dave’s back and the other moved his head underneath his chin, tucking his friend in as close as possible.

“I just wanted to do good, Rupert. So _why_ …?” Dave gasps out a sob as he starts to cry, soaking Rupert’s jacket in tears. “W-Why did this happen?” He just bit his bottom lip, unable to answer that question. He simply pat his back, gently shushing him in what he hoped was a comforting manner. Dave whimpers at his touch and...God, he looked so small and fragile. Sure, Dave was much shorter than him and a bit awkward and clumsy but he was always trying his hardest to do his best from the short time he knew him. And yet, right now he was shaking like a leaf, ready to fall apart if pushed too far.

It hurt, watching someone as young as Dave, younger than _Rupert,_ fall apart and crumble in just a span of a year. It just wasn’t fair for his life into adulthood to start out like this.

“....I don’t know. I don’t know why.” Rupert gulps, trying to keep his own voice level. Despite working as a police officer for so long before jumping careers, he rarely had to comfort other people. He was never good at it either, even when he was younger. But right now Dave needed to hear _some_ encouragement, some support. He just hoped that his words were good enough. “But you’ve come this far, Dave. You said that I’m able to keep moving forward but so can you. You’ve been trying to keep going, despite everything that’s happened.” Dave hiccupped in response, not really able to make a coherent reply at the moment. He just rubbed his friend’s back as comforting as he could. “You’re...You’re strong. You _can_ be strong. You just need time to...to recuperate…” He trails off, unsure of how to continue. But when Dave pressed his face deeper into his chest and his crying started to soften, he decided that he’s said enough for now.

Eventually Dave had calmed down, leaving only sniffles and small quivers. Rupert ran his fingers through his friend’s hair, taking note that his hair didn’t look or feel as bad now that Dave had access to proper hygiene including shampoo and conditioner. He shivered at his touch and he stopped, wondering if he should continue or not. Dave seemed to have made his choice for him though, pulling himself away from Rupert’s chest but still gripping his jacket with puffy red eyes and red cheeks. Dave sniffles again and Rupert moves to grab a tissue from the tissue box. He handed it to his friend and he took it gratefully.

“Thanks…er, for everything.” Dave said before cleaning his nose. Rupert nodded as he awkwardly reached for the nearby trash bin as his friend was still clinging him with one hand but he managed to grab it and pull it over. Once he was done, he tossed the dirtied tissue into the trash and Rupert put it down next to him. “...S-Sorry, I...I’m not sure what I’m gonna do once I get out. B-But! I’ll figure it out, I’m sure!” He said with a shaky smile, his grip loosening up a bit. Rupert almost wanted to sigh out loud. At least Dave was still trying to be his usual optimistic self.

“Don’t apologize, Dave. I understand, you’re in a rough spot right now…” Rupert trailed off, hesitating. He didn’t want to bring up something that could... _possibly_ remind Dave of something terrible, but he had to know. “Don’t you, uh, have family? That you can rely on?” He asked, hoping that he wasn’t overstepping his boundaries. Dave stared at him as if he had asked something weird only for his eyes to grow wide.

“Oh...Oh, yeah, yeah! I do! I...I didn’t mean it like that, I’m just upset that I lost so much after everything and...and...Sorry, I probably sounded whiny when, uh...um...y-you know…” Dave trailed off with an awkward but almost shameful laugh. Rupert frowns as he brushes a strand of hair away from Dave’s face, his cheeks seemingly becoming a brighter shade of red. Before he could ask if he’s okay, his friend turned his face away, bringing locks of hair closer to his face as he played with it. “I-I called them the other day, but I haven’t seen them yet. And I haven’t really talked to them about...all of this, even though they would love to help. But um...they can be a little... _complicated_. And I’m not sure if I can deal with that right now...Er, I don’t mean anything bad like that, if that’s what you're worried about.” He takes a deep breath and sighs. “I just...don’t want to bother them, but I’d probably have to. Even though I’m supposed to be on my own right now…” Rupert’s frown only deepens at that but he chooses not to pry. Dave is fragile right now and he didn’t want to push him with questions if he didn’t want to talk about it.

Still, if Dave wasn’t comfortable going back to his family right now…

“...Want to stay with me?” Rupert asked and Dave looked at him in surprise. Before his friend could respond, he put his hand on his shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. “Look, you’re my friend, Dave. I know we haven’t talked a lot since... _everything_ but I want to help. Even if it’s just giving you a place to stay until you can get back on your feet comfortably. Or, hell, you can stay as long as you like. I don’t mind.” Dave had stopped playing with his hair, clearly touched by what he said but also conflicted. He glances back at the hat that was still on his lap, torn and worn down but still intact. Just like Dave.

(He’s helpless. Despite working so hard, despite doing everything right to the best of his abilities, Rupert can barely do anything for Dave. And yet, if he could just do _one good thing_ for him, even if it was something as simple as offering him a place to stay…)

“I...I don’t know. I don’t want to bother you-” Rupert suddenly pinched Dave’s arm and he yelps, slapping his hand away. He tried not to chuckle before staring at him as seriously as he could.

“You won’t be bothering me. I swear.” He reassured, patting his arm before pausing. “Of course, I won’t be around all the time. A lot of my missions involve traveling to other places, so I might be gone for a few days, maybe even a few weeks, months...If you want to be surrounded by other people constantly, I might not be your best choice...But my offer is still on the table if you don’t want to live with your family.” Rupert resisted the urge to bite his bottom lip or show any sign of nervousness. If Dave was going to live with him, it might not be a good idea to just...leave him alone for a while. Not to mention that he’s never had a roommate before so it’ll be a huge change for not just Dave but for himself as well.

But if Dave wanted to stay with him, Rupert wasn’t going to turn him away.

“...I’ll...I-I’ll think about it.” Dave said, shrugging a little bit although he seems to have relaxed a smidge. “I, uh, want to talk to my family about...about all this first.” Rupert quietly nods his head, not really sure what else to say. He wasn’t going to push the topic. He still had time to think about this before he was discharged. Dave then tugs on his jacket once more before letting go. “If...If you don’t have to go anywhere...can you stay? Just for a little while longer.” Rupert pressed his lips together tightly before nodding his head once more in affirmation.

“Yeah. Of course...As long as the doctors don’t kick me out.” Dave snorts a little bit at that and Rupert tried to smile back a little, scooting his chair a little closer and up against the wall. “...Want me to keep talking?” His friend nods, shifting a little to get comfortable in the bed before tugging on his sleeve. Rupert pauses for a moment before taking a hold of Dave’s hand and setting their hands onto the mattress, trying to come up with a more light-hearted story he could tell.

This isn’t exactly how he wanted his visit to go, honestly. Rupert just wanted to visit him, catch up, maybe ignore the lingering guilt that keeps building up in the back of his mind as he talks to his friend. But it ended up having a lot more tears and impromptu comfort that made him wish he did _better_. Made him wish he wasn’t such a failure of a friend when Dave needed him most.

And yet, as Rupert finally starts talking about the friends he’s made and the times when they hung out after work, he feels Dave lean against his shoulder a little bit, tender and loose. He couldn’t help but smile to himself, feeling like he was finally able to give Dave the lift he needed, even if it was through some silly stories he’s experienced in his life.

He felt like he was doing something right for Dave and it was a thought that comforted him during his stay.

**Author's Note:**

> I really liked how this one turned out! I've been working on this on and off so I wasn't able to write down particular scenes in my head before doing something else, so it ended up *somewhat* different than what I thought of initially. Which isn't a bad thing! I think it still turned out well despite how busy my life can get sometimes: juggling multiple hobbies, catching up on some Youtube vids (which can take an entire afternoon and evening), reading other fanfics (some of them get *pretty long*), and going to work.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this fanfic! If you have any comments or criticisms about my writing or about my fic, please don't hesitate to comment down below. Have a nice day!


End file.
